In History, there are many figures who are attributed to be the fathers or mothers of certain aspects of m0dern day society and conditions. Different industries and areas have formed their various departments and roles depending on the views and instructions given during a certain age period by a given individual. The following paper reviews the works of Florence Nightingale, who lived between 1820 and 1910. She was a nurse by profession and is credited with revolutionizing the Nursing Industry during the Crimean War where she took care of British Soldiers. She came up with standards and conditions which would be followed and implemented in the industry for many years to come, with her views and take on the industry being at the forefront (Nightingale, 1863). Her notes were implemented when taking into account any new construction or Hospital institutional development as will be seen in the following paper. The paper below also links her personal traits with various theories of Personality Traits which seek to explain her success as attributed to the kind of personality she possessed.
Personality, according to Allport (1961) is defined as “the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristics behaviour ad thought.” It is also defined as the different blend of various characteristics which make a person unique and different from others. However, there are various considerations that lead to the development of a person’s character and personality. They are demographic factors which in many studies have proven that a correct blend of certain demographic factors can lead to the development of a given personality trait (Allport, 1961). In this way, there exists an interaction between the innate instincts of an individual with the various influences they are exposed to, according to Sigmund Freud’s psychodynamic theory of personality.
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Through Eysenck’s Personality Theory, we are able to identify the personality held by Florence Nightingale. Eysenck, determined that through the use of a Factor Analysis chart, one can determine the various characteristics that are held by different individuals and from that incorporate them in a given dimension which then defines the kind of personality trait each individual holds. Eysenck had come up with two dimensions, that is either introverted or extroverted, and Neuroticism/stability. From these two dimensions, different personality traits could be derived from them. He linked the development of different personalities in individuals with the functioning of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) (Eysenck, 1995).
Florence Nightingale was born in Florence Italy, in the year 1820. She was the lastborn child of two and had an older sister. Her family was wealthy and was part of an Affluent British Clan. Her mother, who was from a wealthy merchant family, took pride in socializing with people of high classes and prominent standing. She had an extroverted personality type which led her to be well conversant in social situations and other gatherings. Her father, was a wealthy landowner who was in charge of two estates (Bostridge, 2008). However, Florence exhibited an introverted personality trait. She did not take pleasure in social situations and found herself to be awkward in such gatherings. Unlike her mother, she preferred silent and toned down events that were not overcrowded. At all times, she tried not to be in the social light and hence stayed out of the limelight. In this manner, linked to Eysenck’s personality traits, she could be categorized as an introverted person who exhibited a stable personality (Hiriyappa, 2012).
Florence was a person who was not hasty in decision making. She had identified what it is she wanted to do and strived to achieve her goals in that area. During her period, it was considered lowly menial labour for a lady who held such a high social stature as Florence to engage in nursing. Hence, to this, she was forbidden from taking up nursing. However, she refused to conform to her parents will and social standing, which dictated that she marry a man of equal stature who was able to take care of her and afford her lifestyle. She, however believed that nursing was her vocation and divine purpose (McDonald, 2010). According to Eysenck, an introverted person is one who is emotionally calm, plans out their actions well and is able to control their emotions. When her parents denied her the opportunity to become a nurse, she planned out her actions to ensure that she would deny the marriage proposal without being overly emotional. She was determined to pursue nursing as her true calling and enrolled as a nursing student in 1850 and 1851 (Eysenck, 1995).
She showed dedication in her work. In 1850s, after her training, she was positioned in Harley Street Hospital where in a short while, she was able to become a superintendent. She was also a volunteer at Middlesex Hospital. In 1854 after the Crimean war broke out, and there were no female nurses to take care of the Soldiers who were wounded in the war, she was asked to organize nurses who could tend to the sick and fallen soldiers in Crimea that were being held at Scutari, a British base hospital in Constantinople. The condition at the hospital was so horrid that most of the individuals at the hospital were passing on, not due to the injuries they had sustained, but due to the infectious diseases that were spreading due to the poor hygienic conditions (Bostridge, 2008).
Florence took it upon herself to clean the hospitals hygiene conditions. She [procured the necessary instruments required to clean the hospitals environments and came up with systems through which hygiene would be uplifted within the hospital. She cared for the soldiers to such a great extent that she would perform nightly rounds where she would ensure each of the patients was well taken care of. It is through this that she came to be known as “The Lady with the Lamp”, or “The Angel of the Crimea”. She ministered to each of the patients and ensured there were proper hygiene standards that were set and met within the Hospital. By doing so, she had reduced the death rate in the hospital by more than two thirds by reducing the number of infectious diseases being spread through the horrible hospital conditions. She was also responsible for coming up with the “Invalid’s Kitchen”, where she would provide people with dietary restrictions proper meals that met their standards (Bostridge, 2008).
According to the traits described by Eysenck, she exhibited an Introverted by stable personality. She was able to control her emotions and temper. She was not one to make rash decisions and took some time before concluding on any decision. AT the same time, she was extremely reliable as she was a person who was able to take up her position and vocation with seriousness and dedication. She was a peaceful person who continued to minister to people and preferred that she keep out of the social light herself. By developing certain sanitary standards, she proved to have a careful personality trait within herself where she was able to take up her duties at the same time ensuring that she is not putting anyone in danger. To this, according to Eysenck, she held a Phlegmatic Personality Trait (Eysenck, 1995).
In conclusion, Her Personality as a phlegmatic allowed her to consider a lot of scenarios and take serious though to the consequences each decision would derive. It is because of this that she became a person whose advice was highly regarded in the nation when developing or implementing any standards or systems within any Hospital institution. Her solutions to Sanitary and Hygiene issues within the Hospital led to the development of standards which could be globally applied all through the world and hence, she is regarded as the mother of policies revolving around nursing care.
References
Allport, G.W. (1961). Pattern and growth in personality . New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Bostridge, M. (2008). Florence Nightingale: The Woman and Her Legend . United States of America: Viking.
Eysenck, H. J. (1995). Genius: The Natural History of Creativity . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hiriyappa, B. (2012). Development of Personality and Its Theories . Bloomington, IN: Booktango.
McDonald, L. (2010). Florence Nightingale: An Introduction to Her Life and Family: Collected Works of Florence Nightingale . Canada: Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press.
Nightingale, F. (1863). Notes on Hospitals . London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green.
